The cambion's ring
by Awesomenemo
Summary: UP FOR ADOPTION AN: Rated M to be safe. In another world where Xander didn't go as a soldier to Halloween, we will see what happens when he happens to wear a cursed ring.
1. Chapter the nothing

Disclaimer for all and future chapters, the things in this story that are not of my creation belong to their creators, in this case Joss Whedon.

AN: I know, I know another Halloween story. Please bear with me though, if you actually read this I promise you won't be sorry.

Chapter The Nothing...

"Hey, Xander!" called Willow. "What did you get?" At this Xander reached into a paper bag and pulled out a plastic gun.

"That's not a costume," said Buffy plainly.

Xander looked from Buffy to Willow before saying, "I got fatigues from an army surplus, at home. Call me a two dollar costume king, baby!" He finished humorously.

"Hey, look, Xander." Buffy began awkwardly, "I'm really sorry about this morning…"

"Do you mind, Buffy?" interrupted Xander, gesturing with the plastic gun. "I'm trying to repress."

"Okay, then I promise from now on I'll let you get pummeled." Stated Buffy, waiting for his reaction.

"Thank you." Said Xander with genuine gratitude. "You know actually I think I could've-" Xander didn't finish as Buffy saw something, and wandered towards it. "Hello, that was our touching reconciliation moment there."

Buffy continued to ignore him and kept on walking to her destination, and not wanting to leave their friend, Willow and Xander followed. When Buffy finally stopped it was to admire a beautiful, scarlet dress that looked like it was from the 18th century, hanging loosely.

"I'm sorry it's just… look at this." Said Buffy almost as if in a trance.

"It's amazing." Willow said mystified.

Then Xander spoke up, "Too bulky, I prefer my women in spandex…" obvious distaste in his voice.

As Buffy reached out to lift it off the mannequin, a well-kept, man about Giles' age stepped out.

"Please, let me." He said in a faint English accent.

"It's –" Buffy began.

"Magnificent. I know." He interrupted. After finally getting the dress free from the mannequin, and handing it to her, she looked into the mirror.

"My. Meet the hidden princess." He said.

Buffy was opening and closing her mouth but no words were coming out, she looked transformed.

"I think we've made a match, don't you?" The man said drawing her out of her thoughts.

"I, I'm sorry. There's no way I can afford this." She said finding her voice.

"Nonsense. I feel quite... moved... to make you a deal you can't refuse." He said putting on a smile, which Xander could see was only for customers.

Buffy though didn't notice and went back to staring at herself in the mirror.

Five minutes later…

As they waited at the checkout, Buffy continued to admire her dress, Willow admired it with her; as what she had bought was just a ghost costume, and Xander was looking over his soon to be plastic gun. When it was his turn to buy his costume, Xander let out a sigh. Another year with bargain bin junk, well it was all he could do, thanks to Snider.

He was just so frustrated, Buffy had a dress, and knowing her would probably get Willow into something creative. But him? He was going as a soldier, and the coolest part of the costume was his uncle's old army jacket. He couldn't help but hear Buffy's words from earlier; '_That's not a costume'. _And she was right. He couldn't help but frown at the gun.

"You don't look like you enjoy your purchase." Xander looked up, it was the guy who sold Buffy that dress.

"Um, I-" Xander started.

"Oh, pardon my manners." He apologized, "Rayne, Ethan Rayne." He said extending his hand.

"Xander Harris." Xander replied, shaking the newly named, Ethan's hand.

"Charmed." The owner nodded, "As I said earlier, you don't look pleased with your costume?"

"Well, you can't really call a plastic gun a costume, can you?" Xander replied slightly downtrodden.

"Hmmm. Maybe I could help to improve your mood. You're friends with the girl I sold the dress, are you not?" Ethan asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Xander answered.

"It may help… narrow the choice down."

After several minutes of searching they finally, came across a mannequin like the one Buffy's dress was on. On said mannequin, was a suit, which looked like it as old as Buffy's dress. It consisted of a tricorn hat, boots, a black and red waistcoat, a pair of sailors pants and an old ash grey coat.

"I cannot afford this." Xander said. Awestruck by the attention to detail, it looked authentic.

"I am sure we can come to some sort of arrangement." Ethan said.

In the end Xander bought the suit, for all the money he had on him; which was only twenty dollars, and walked out of the store a happy man.

"Hey, Xander! What took you so long?"

"Sorry Buff. Looks like I won't be a soldier this Halloween." Said Xander confidently.

"So, what are you going as?" Willow asked.

"That's for me to know, and you two, to find out."

Twenty minutes later…

When he got home Xander immediately unpacked his costume, and tried it on. It fit like a glove. 'Whoa, this was a good deal.' He thought to himself, as he posed in front of the mirror.

During one of his poses he heard a _tik tunk_ sound, and looked down to see a ring on the floor. 'It must have fallen out of one of the pockets…' he thought.

It was a simple iron band, which had a small disc the size of a penny cut into it, with the words: _Id est, qui tendit ad annulum, animae dimidium erit: Dæmonium_ _, _carved into the disc_. '_I wonder what it means… I'll see if Willow has an idea. Until then though…' And with that he slipped the ring onto his finger.

Ethan's shop

His plan was working better than he had hoped. Not only had he managed to doom the slayer as a useless maiden. But he had convinced the boy not to go as a soldier, but as a farmer. They would be slaughtered.

Now he had to think, where did he leave that magic ring?

Halloween night...

When Claude Lucion Ridrey woke up, what he did not expect to see was a huge metal… thing charging towards him. So rather than getting hit he did the only sensible thing he could do. He put a solid kick into it.  
Now one might ask why anyone in their right mind would try to kick, a big metal thing charging towards them. Well our friend Claude here was in his right mind. You see Claude is a cambion, and anyone who knows anything about cambions, is that they don't need to worry about big metal things charging towards them. And Claude was no different.  
When the big metal thing connected with Claude's foot, the charging big metal thing went flying back, with a large foot shaped dent in its front.  
Curious as to what this big metal thing was, and what it wanted, Claude started walking towards it, only to be stopped by a scantily clad redheaded woman.  
"XANDER! WHAT DID YOU JUST DO!?"  
Claude ignored her, not knowing at all who this Xander fellow was, but thinking that he was a lucky man.  
"XANDER, I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Why was this lady following him? He didn't know this Xander.  
"XANDER!" As she said this she reached for his arm, and surprised him as it slid right through him.  
"Okay, now you have my attention. Who is Xander?" A now very curious Claude asked.  
"YOU ARE!"  
Now that answer Claude was not expecting. He thought she was going to say; _'My lost love,' _Or, '_The man who summoned me.'_  
"Are you a mad ghost now?"  
"No! Well, I am a ghost, but… That's not the point. Everyone has transformed and into their costumes."  
At this Claude laughed. "Preposterous!" But he began to wonder as he observed his surroundings.  
Demons were attacking strangely dressed humans, on a strange black rock like road. He was surrounded by more big metal things, and strange buildings, which had lanterns without fire attached to them. Not to mention the redheaded ghost was dressed funny.  
"So I'm not me?" A now very worried Claude asked.  
"No. You're my friend Xander." She answered exasperatedly.  
"And I'm not in London?" He was sweating now.  
"No. You're in Sunnydale, California."  
"What's the year?" He asked dreading the answer.  
"1997."  
Claude Lucion Ridrey, fainted.

Now when Claude came to he was in a strange house, with a dark haired noble woman, he felt strangely attracted to.  
"He's awake." She said over her shoulder.  
"Oh, Xander your awake!" not her again…  
It was the redheaded ghost.  
"Not you aga-"his sentence was cut short as an ear piercing screech, cut through the air like a knife.  
His instincts overcoming him he jumped up, and rushed to where the sound came from, only to see one of the strangest things in his life: A woman dressed as a cat was being chased by a dog man… thing, there are a lot of things here.  
As he just stared at the strange sight, the annoying ghost woman, and noble woman, came up behind him.  
"Aren't you going to do something?" The ghost asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.  
"Right."  
Claude sprinted out, and placed himself between the lady, and the man dog thing.  
"tis a fine night ain't it govna'?" He asked mockingly, before punching the thing square in the face, knocking it back a few steps. It gave a roar before charging, to which Claude retorted with "You're a dog, eh?" The man dog thing, answered with a clumsy swipe, to which Claude easily ducked under and stayed in a crouch. "Don't dogs like the moon?" And with that he delivered an uppercut right under the man dog thing's jaw, sending it flying six feet into the air, probably breaking a few teeth.  
"Now be a good dog, and play dead."  
"Hey, thanks." The cat lady said.  
"C'mon, it's not safe out 'ere."  
"Xander? Is that you?"  
"Why do people keep calling me that!?" Claude shouted to no one in particular.  
"Because it's your name?" The cat lady answered sarcastically.  
Claude was starting to wish he just left her to the man dog thing.

"Cordelia!" The ghost said to the now identified cat.  
"What's going on?" Cordelia asked confused.  
"Okay - your name is Cordelia, you're not a cat, you're in high school, we're your friends - well, sort of-" The ghost said in one breath before being interrupted.  
"That's nice, Willow, and you went mental when?" she interrupted. Claude didn't like her.  
"You know us?" Willow asked surprised.  
"Yeah, lucky me. What's with the name game?" Cordelia answered sarcastically. Claude **REALLY** didn't like her.  
"A lot's going on."  
"No kidding. I was just attacked by Jo-Jo the dogfaced boy. Look at my costume! Think Party-Town's gonna give me my deposit back? Not on the likely." Claude was going to strangle her.  
After a silence Claude spoke up, "Kay'. Ghost, you get help. Cat, search for anything useful. And, noble lady… try not to get killed." He ordered pointing to each of them in turn.  
"Okay, I know who to find." And with that Willow ran through a wall, conveniently without Cordelia seeing her.  
"Fine, but if we die I'm blaming you." Cordelia said accusingly to Claude.

Claude had made a few makeshift barricades, around the house. Cordelia had found the first aid kit, and some weapons, (which made Claude wonder whose house they were in.) And the noblewoman just followed Claude around, like a lost puppy.  
"Surely there is somewhere we can go? Some safe haven?" She asked.  
"Look, I don't know this place any better than you do. And I certainly don't know what's out there. So we are staying till, the sun rises or, help gets here." He replied distracted.  
"But what if help doesn't arrive? What if-"  
Before she could finish Claude raise his hand to silence her. He had grabbed a mirror and was looking into it. He wasn't looking back. Only the boy who was in the pictures, with the ghost, and the noblewoman.  
He wasn't Claude. He was Xander.  
He fainted for the second time this night.

Claude awoke to a slap across his face. When he opened his eyes staring down at him was Cordelia.  
"You're awake. Finally."  
"Get him up. We need to find Buffy." Said an alien voice.  
Claude, or was it Xander? He didn't know anymore. No. He was Claude. He may not have the face, but he had the mind. He was Claude.  
As Cordelia tried to help him up, Claude brushed her hands away, stood up, and stretched his aching muscles.  
"Are you coming or what?" Xander turned to see the voice coming from a pale man, in a leather trench coat.  
"Trust me, I'm coming."

"You're sure she came this way?"  
Out of some bushes stepped three figures. The one who spoke, Claude Lucion Ridrey, was brushing some leaves off his coat.  
"No." Answered one wearing a leather trench coat, Known to many as Angel.  
"She'll be okay." Answered the third figure, wearing a torn cat costume, named Cordelia Chase.  
"BUFFY would be okay. Whoever she is now, she's helpless. Come on." Retorted Angel.  
As they continued the search for Buffy, or in Claude's eyes the noblewoman, they heard a whimper.  
Now having grown accustomed to the sound over the night, Claude turned towards the sound, and sprinted down the street, Cordelia, and Angel following close behind.  
When Claude finally found the source, he was unsurprised to see Buffy being attacked by a pirate. Rolling his eyes Claude walked up behind the pirate, and tapped his soldier to get his attention. The pirate turned around, about to draw his sword, only to be knocked out by a vicious jab to the face, breaking his teeth. As the pirate fell to the ground unconscious, Claude felt an overwhelming sense of closure. Just as he was about to check on Buffy, a vampire jumped out. Saying he was big was an understatement, this guy must have been lifting heavy things all his life.  
Now Claude wasn't a moron he knew it would have been stupid to fight a vampire without a weapon. So he did the only logical thing. He punched the vampire in the face, grabbed its left foot, and swung it around in a circle (with a lot of effort), before throwing it towards the nearest sharp wooden object, which was a tree. Luckily enough it worked and the vampire, impaled onto a branch, turned to dust.  
He looked over to the group to see that Willow was back, and talking to Angel about something or other. As he walked towards them Willow pointed towards him with a shocked look on her face, the others then assumed the same expression.  
Claude pointed towards himself, and Willow shook her head slowly, and again pointed towards him, he turned around understanding the signal, and saw a blond haired vampire, flanked by four small monsters, and two big ones. Knowing he was outmatched, Claude did the only logical thing.  
Ran like hell.  
As he ran he noticed the others were following him, every turn. He kept on running till he finally came across a warehouse.  
"Get in 'ere!" he bellowed, before pushing the door open, and ushering the others in, with Angel carrying Buffy, bridal style. Just as Claude got in and closed the door, a hand reached in, and began trying to grab him. Claude simply grabbed the hand and crushed it, breaking almost every bone in it. There was a horrid screech, before the hand pulled out and Claude completely shut the door, despite this they still heard scratching and growling behind the door.  
Noticing some furniture and crates piled against a nearby wall, he ran towards them and started making a barricade. "Angel are you going to help me, or am I going to do this myself!?"  
Angel became to put Buffy down, "Just stay here." He said as nicely as possible, before moving to help Claude.  
Buffy being rather scared, began to hug Cordelia tightly, who responded to this "Faboo. More clinging."  
As the barricade became bigger, and bigger, they stopped hearing scratching and growling at the door. Claude began to relax, and sat in a chair.  
"Wait, where's Buffy, and Cordelia?" Angel asked.  
"Over here." Said a strongly English accent.  
Heads turned to the back of the warehouse where there stood, the blond haired vampire holding Buffy by the throat, with another demon holding Cordelia with her arms behind her back.  
"BUFFY!" Angel shouted before making a dash toward her. Or at least he would have if all the group hadn't been restrained.  
"Look at you. Shaking, terrified. Alone. Lost little lamb." The vampire said softly to Buffy, "I love it." He then tilted her head to the side exposing her neck. Buffy was balling her eyes out.  
"SPIKE!" Angel shouted.  
The newly named spike ignored him and continued to move his head closer to her neck.  
All this time Claude was standing still his head hanging down. One would think he had given up, he was doing the opposite. He was actually building up his power and was about to shift forms, he was so close, he could feel the energy coursing through him, just a little more and he'd-  
Then Xander Harris looked up confused.  
Spike was just about to bite the slayer when he heard crying, not the slayer's either. He turned his head to see a bunch of weeping children, and confused adults.  
"What the-" He began.  
"Guess what," Spike turned to the slayer, feeling a knot in his stomach, "I feel better."

The next few lines are omitted, due to their extremely graphic nature.

and with one final punch of rage and frustration, Spike was sent flying out a window.  
"It's good to be me."

After helping the gang get the, now not demons, home, and finding Willow wandering around without the ghost, Xander went home. After he snuck into his room and changed he decided it would be a great idea to pawn the costume in the morning. After an hour of sleeping a figure rose from Xander's bed, dressed, and before leaving grabbed his favourite coat.  
He really needed answers.

AN: so what do you think? Please remember this is my first story, so understand my lack of skill, review if you want more. If you do I will try and keep a good update schedule. Also, cookie to those who know what it says on the ring and in what language. And tell me if Claude is a mary sue, I want to keep him real.


	2. Chapter the first

AN: sorry about the late review been busy. Anyway now for some Q & A

Archoan: The cambion I am using is of my own creation, and is based more around the mythos of a human and demon lovechild.

Chi Vayne: Don't worry Xander will have most of the control, and some leftovers.

Chapter the first…

Now at the moment, Claude was completely unhappy. After rooting around the boys memories, and taking control when he slept, he finally figured out, he was dead, at least his body. After finding his old ring on the boy's dresser, he finally remembered how he was dragged to the furnace, metaphorically speaking.

Flashback  
Washington DC 1814

"Come on out little brother." Frederick's voice rang through the building.  
There was a war going on, and Claude was hiding in a broom closet. It's not that he was a coward, far from it, he just didn't want his older brother to hang him from the ceiling with his entrails. You see he and Frederick weren't on good terms, of course they never were. But their relationship went from being hostile, to completely violent. After exorcizing his predecessor and killing one of his brothers, Claude's father thought it would be a good idea to put a hit out on him. Frederick being completely overjoyed to kill his 'weakling' little brother.  
"If you come out now, I will make sure your death isn't as painful." He said it like it was a present.  
Claude knew Frederick would find him, he was the best tracker in the family.  
_Clop, clop,_ He could hear the footsteps outside the door.  
_Clop, clop, _they were getting closer.  
_Clop, clop, _they were outside the door.  
_Clop, clop,_ they stopped.  
Claude could hear his heart beating like a hammer, and anvil.  
Frederick must have heard it too, as a clawed hand broke through the door, grabbed his throat and threw him out, some splinters were collected.  
"You always knew I hated hide and seek brother." Claude looked up shivering, and saw his brother.  
He had two pairs horns growing out of his forehead, much like a rams. His lower half was like goat legs eaten by the creatures of the earth, and his hands had huge claws the same size as his fingers. The whites of his eyes turned black, the irises red, and his pupil was slitted like a cat's. But his face... oh that face... the skin peeled off and his skull had elongated, to that of a skinless goat. His uniform was torn in many places, and his platinum hair moved as though underwater.  
He was in the form of the Baphomet, the beast of Satan.  
He was in his most powerful form, _the __formam inferni_. All cambions had a _formam inferni__, _it was as close to their demon parent as they could get. It was also as powerful as their parent, the only drawback being that if they were to stay in the form to long, they would begin to lose their soul, this would leave them as smart as a dog, it would mean loss of sentience.  
Now Frederick's father happened to be extremely powerful, thereby he was able to destroy an army in a couple of minutes in his _formam inferni,_ he was not the best figther though.  
"So brother how does it feel being weak for once." His eyes wide with insanity. "I mean, with that crucifix mark, keeping your power contained like that, it must be… infuriating."  
It was.  
"And to think that I will be taking you back home."  
Claude rolled up his sleeve, revealing a simple tattoo of a cross. Frederick being too distracted by his ego, didn't notice.  
"I mean you were one of the most powerful of us, then you went and 'repented'." He said that mockingly.  
Claude saw a fire near him.  
"But we fixed that didn't we. The screams were… pleasurable." When Claude could he would tear that smirk off. He was right beside the fire.  
"And the girl, what was her name? Ahh yes I remember, Elizabeth Right? I also remember her screams, how she begged you to save her, how she-" Claude couldn't take anymore he shoved hid tattooed arm into the fire, burning it away, and unleashing his _formam inferni__. _His body transformed, he let out a hellish roar. Frederick paled, then he scowled. "You must have loved that mortal whore. Well you'll see her again, when I swallow your soul!" With that he charged Claude, who with his rage answered with a kick to the chest, sending him flying through the wall.  
Frederick crawled out of the crater, before throwing a pillar at Claude. Just before it hit Claude knocked it out of the way with a backhanded swing and began walking forward. Frederick threw another pillar, another back hand. He then threw a fireball, which Claude caught and absorbed, Claude was closing the distance.  
Frederick sensing defeat, decided to use something he was supposed to give to father, the real reason he came to Washington. A large red gem. He shoved it into his stomach activating it's power, the power of a hell mouth, despite it being miles away he still felt the power surge through him, turning his skin sin black, and making his blood veins glow a magma red.  
"Now let's fight."  
Frederick charged, Claude charged, they leapt at each other, they mid-air grappled. Frederick empowered by the hell mouth, overpowered Claude, smashing him into the ground. Claude stood up flexing his arms, and wings. Frederick wanting him dead generated his power into his fist, which began to generate a dark aura, sprinted towards him and punched Claude through the stomach putting a hole there.  
Claude was in so much pain he reverted back to his mortal form, and eyes wide slumped forward.  
Frederick sneered as he pulled his arm from his brother's chest, and watched Claude's lifeless body topple to the floor.  
Pulling the gem from his chest, and reverting back to human form said "Now, dinner is served."  
Positioning Claude's head, so that he was staring directly into his eyes, Frederick opened his mouth, moved it over Claude's eye and- had a hand clasp around his throat, like an iron collar, and squeezed. Frederick desperately clawed at the hand of Claude, who stared at him with unblinking eyes. And with one final squeeze, broke Frederick's neck. Now it was Frederick's turn to slump, dead.  
Claude knew he was going to die, and before the fire consumed him whispered one word. "I'm coming…"  
That night the white house burned.

Present day.

Xander woke in a cold sweat. His dream was so vivid, as though it was a memory, but he wasn't in it. And the man, Claude, seemed so familiar, as though he met him. It was weird.  
He looked over at the clock. He had half an hour till school started. Groaning, he dragged himself out of bed, brushed his teeth, and grabbed the first things he saw, not really seeing them.  
When he was about to leave his dad called from the living room, "Why're you playing dress up?"  
"What?" Xander asked tiredly.  
"Your dressed funny." His dad replied irritated.  
Looking down at his attire Xander saw what his dad meant. He was wearing the coat, and hat from a week ago, that he thought he threw out.  
"Bloody 'ell. Wait, what?" Did he just say bloody hell, in an accent? Something was wrong.  
Rubbing his eyes, he felt something hard, and metal touch his face. He looked at his hand. On his middle finger was that weird ring he was going to show Willow. Filled with new resolve, he left the house and marched to school, not even bothering to change.

"So Wills, any idea what the ring says?" Xander asked impatiently.  
"Yeah, just gimme a sec." Willow answered for the hundredth time in Xander's mind. "Okay, here it is. So it's Latin, which is weird, and it says… 'that is, which is directed toward to the ring, the souls of the half would be a demon' which is fancy for whoever wears this is to host a half demon."  
"That's not creepy at all." Xander stated sarcastically.  
"Really? I would've that'd be pretty creepy." Xander raised an eyebrow. "Oh, sarcasm."

The entire day was strange.  
During his classes, especially eighteenth century history, Xander felt like he knew how it happened and why, like he already studied it most of his life. Gym was no different. He was faster, stronger, more agile, and more aware, coach even said he did great in basketball, which he really sucked at. All in all he was… better.  
During lunch, when he ate a Twinkie, he felt like he was going to throw up. He loved Twinkies, he ate them all his life. They were his most needed resource. And when he ate it he almost puked. Why?  
Well, Xander may have loved Twinkies, but Claude found them detestable.  
At the end of the day when Xander got home the first thing he did was watch a movie, oddly he enough he chose the exorcist. As he watched it he couldn't help but think that it was completely unrealistic, like he knew what one was like. He shook the feeling off, and continued to enjoy the movie. He watched horror movies for the rest of the night, till he fell asleep.

The moment Claude woke up, he turned the moving, picture, box… thing, off. The movies the boy was watching were completely inaccurate. For one why would the demon possess a little girl? Like it could do anything. And who would name something 'I know what you did last summer'? Even a zombie could come with better. And Friday the thirteenth? They should've named it 'Friday the teen hormone day'. It was a lousy excuse to show sex and beer.  
Now that he was done his little internal rant, he looked around. The room was a mess, he couldn't let his host live here, it was unsightly, what if he brought a girl home, and- He stopped his inner monologue he was starting to sound like the boy's parents, or lack thereof.  
Claude started with cleaning out the garbage, then he moved the boy's dirty clothes, closed the drawers, straightened furniture, mopped and vacuumed the floor, cleaned the sink tub and toilet, dusted, and laid tomorrow's clothes out. He had a small selection of dignified clothes to choose from that would fit the hot weather, but he settled on, as the locals called them, a white T-shirt, grey jeans, and a brown trench coat the boy was too shy to wear, he could use an illusion and fix that. He decided to make him wear the boots, just because all of the boy's other shoes were completely impractical, at least in Claude's mind. After looking through his work, he sat on the bed and gave control back to the boy, effectively sleeping.

When Xander awoke he was suckerpunched, not literally of course. His room was clean, like not slight tidy clean, but almost brand new clean, like an army of cleaners came through. He was weirded out. He didn't sleep walk, and if he did he probably wouldn't clean this much. And everything was in the right spot so he knew it wasn't his mother.  
What happened?  
Then he remembered Willow's words; _'__whoever wears this is to host a half demon.' _  
What if he really was possessed? Were half demons evil? Was this the cause of the twinkies?  
All these thoughts and more flooded his mind. Then he remembered, he had a Giles and a Willow he could save himself from this half demon no problem. All he had to do was get to the library, and explain to Giles. Then he remembered that it was a Saturday. Giles was probably at home drinking tea.  
Wait Willow. He would just go to her and ask her if she could help. But she wouldn't know about exorcisms. They would need Giles' books. But he shouldn't go disturb Giles from his tea.  
Wait. Xander was possessed. To hell with Giles' tea. He was going there, and getting demonized.  
So Xander put on the clothes laid out by Claude, not even thinking where they came from, and almost sprinted to G man's house.

Giles was about to enjoy a lovely cup of earl grey tea. A thin tail of smoke lifting from the tip of the kettle, held the boiling water, like a geyser. While in the middle of the table, sitting on a china saucer, with some tea leaves sitting inside, was his favourite tea cup.  
Brought from the Napal, Giles had to fight a yeti with nothing but a book, to get that cup. Silver with gold engravings, this teacup was held by many great leaders; from Napoleon, to King Arthur, Genghis Kahn, to Hercules, this cup was legendary.  
As he reverently poured the steaming liquid into the cup, filling it halfway. He gently stirred, till the tea was tea like colour. He pulled the silver spoon out and gently laid it on a napkin. He gripped the saucer in his left hand, and with his right he grabbed the tea cup handle. He slowly raised the cup to his face, with his right hand's pinky out, and lightly sniffed it. It was an aroma unimaginably wonderful, better than the embrace of a woman, or sex for that matter. He couldn't help but grin when the edge of the cup touched his lips. Just when he was about to sip, he heard a hammering on the front door.  
"Go away!" Giles called from the sitting room wanting to get back to his tea.  
"It's me Xander, open up." A voice answered from outside.  
"Go away, I'm busy." Giles replied getting annoyed.  
"I can't. It's important." Xander answered urgently.  
Giles stood up knowing that the boy wouldn't leave till he acknowledged him. He was muttering to himself as he walked towards the door. And when he opened it his face showed great irritation.  
"What you have to say, better be bloody important." Giles asked non too friendly.  
"Does being possessed by a half demon who may or may not be evil count?" Xander let out quickly.  
Giles was suddenly less concerned about tea.

AN: So I hope I pleased you with this chapter, hope you review and tell me what you think.


	3. Chapter the second

AN: So sorry for not updating for the week, summer has been busy for me, and I procrastinate a lot… Anyway on with the show!

Chapter the Second…

"So Xander you think that you've been possessed by a half demon, whom you know almost nothing about?" Giles asked incredulously.  
"That pretty much sums it up." Xander stated, taking a sip of tea.  
Giles pondered; it was unlikely Xander was possessed, even less likely by a half demon powerful enough, and there were only seven of them at a time, four deceased. Maybe the boy was just possessed by another lesser spirit, not that that should be overlooked, but it was better than one of the seven. It would be even better if it was just a lesser demon, all he would need was some chalk and that Latin scripture. But it wasn't the wards around his house would've treated him like a vampire, well the breeds that they normally encountered.  
"God, Giles! Did you put excrement in this tea!? It's foul!" Xander exclaimed in a faint north England accent, spitting the tea onto the carpet.  
Giles was about to berate the boy before what, Xander said and in what accent. He looked at him, and Xander didn't seem to notice what just happened, and was trying to scrape the taste of tea off his tongue with a napkin.  
"Did you just say excrement? In a English accent?" Giles asked, his worry growing.  
"What? No! I just spoke the way I normally do!" Xander said normally.  
"No, Xander. I heard you." Giles pushed his glasses up on his nose. "You are not talking normally."  
"So what! I can talk however I want!" Xander was slipping into the accent again.  
"Xander if you don't start telling the truth I will have to do something, you and I would not enjoy!" Giles was starting to raise his voice.  
"Ha! Like you would do anything! It was a mistake coming here I'm leaving, yah wanker!" Xander stood up and started towards the door.  
It was then Giles realized this wasn't Xander, or at least not all of him. And with that Giles snuck up behind him, and put his right arm around Xander's neck, Giles put his left hand firmly on the back of Xander's head, while his right hand firmly gripped the elbow of the arm around the boy's neck. As he did this he pulled back, and brought Xander off balance, with his knee digging into the small of the boy's back. While he did all off this he squeezed his arm. Xander was in a choke hold, and close to unconsciousness. When he finally stopped struggling Giles checked Xander's neck for a pulse. He was alive, good. Giles didn't know what he would do if the boy died.

Now Xander didn't know what happened. One moment he was sipping tea that Giles graciously gave him. The next he was being a complete prideful, well… ass. The way he acted, the things he said… That wasn't him but he felt like it was his decisions. Like when you dream, how you think you're in control, but when you wake up you realise you weren't, your subconscious was. And when Xander woke, it was after Giles knocked him out.  
While he was unconscious Xander had a lot to reflect on. For one his actions, another his voice, and let's not forget the personality change. After he was done reflecting he opened his eyes, which he didn't know where closed, and paid attention to his surroundings. In front of him was a long, grey, pebble road with a hedge on both edges. It split a great, green field, where it seemed more grayed then green, like it was faded. A few feet from him, on the right part of the field, was a giant oak tree, easily the same size as a house. He didn't see any farther than that, due to the overwhelming fog. It wasn't humid, the air was actually quite dry.  
Xander took a deep breathe through his nose. It smelled like… Smoke? It didn't smell that bad, more like a room heavily smoked in, then burning food.  
Ahead of him he heard a marvelous sound. Singing. It was coming from the tree. He advanced towards it, then noticed that around the tree was filled with colour. The bark was a deep shade of brown. the leaves a green, and not the grayed green of the field. Speaking of the field, the grass around it was a green like the leaves, and flowers of all colours where around it. All in all he would rather be there than the gloomy road.  
When he got closer he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, sitting on a low branch. She wore nothing but vines and leaves that shaped themselves, into something like a corset. She was brushing her hair a she sang an entrancing song.  
She stopped brushing her auburn hair and look at Xander, blinking her Emerald green eyes. She gestured with her finger to get closer. Xander obliged. Now he was right at the edge of the road staring up at the beauty before him.  
The woman smiled, "Why don't you get in this tree with me?"  
"Okay…" Xander stated dumbly, reaching towards the nearest branch. He was about to touch it, when a booming voice spoke "SNAP OUT OF IT!"  
Xander winced at the sound, losing his focus on the song and closing his eyes. When they opened the beauty was gone. Replaced by a hag, that looked as though she was missing the front of her face, teeth sharp like a thousand needles, claws dried with decade's old blood, skin gray and cracked like ash, Green loving eyes replaced by bottomless pits. And her song, it changed to a shriek like a thousand dyeing creatures.  
Xander understandably backed onto the road falling over.  
The tree was replaced by a giant structure made of rotting wood, lined with bones, and with hanging bodies, some partially eaten by crows. Others nailed to the trunk, by bones of their fellows. And still others in an even more gruesome manner. Xander threw up onto the road. When he looked up he saw the flowers where changed to a sea of bones, from the creatures leftovers.  
The monster was clawing towards him, but always staying on the branch, never letting go.  
Xander after a moment stood up, and brushed himself off. "Guess you can't get on the road, huh?"  
The creature replied with a loader screech.  
"Well I better get going, nice meeting you." And with that Xander started down the road again. After a few minutes, he looked back to see how far he had come. There was a brick wall erected right where the road was.  
Xander was confused, why was there a brick wall there. Was it so he couldn't go back? Probably. Should go near it? Not really. Was he going to anyway? He sure was!  
Xander walked towards the wall, and stared at it. On the wall was strange drawings, and writing. Like a diagram, or a plan. When he got closer to inspect it he put his hand on the wall for support. And as he leaned in the bricks it touched fell away, and slowly expanded till only the bare sides and top were left. He looked through the newly made hole, He saw himself on a bed, sleeping and heard some voices coming from somewhere in the feed he didn't see. What the voices were saying he couldn't make out, and as he leaned closer, he didn't notice the feeling of the ground giving way till it was too late, and he fell into the… portal, video… thing. He screamed the entire time.

When Xander woke up, the first thing he noticed was a redhead looking at him.  
"Hi Willow." Said Xander groggily, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head.  
"Xander! You're awake!" Willow practically jumped on him. "We were so worried about you after Giles told us what happened of course we were pretty angry when he told us that he knocked you out of course we stopped being mad when he also told us that you may have been possessed by a half demon which really makes sense due to the fact that-" Willow babbled at Mach 5, before Buffy interrupted.  
"What Willow is trying to say, is that Giles called and told us what happened."  
"That's exactly what I told him!" Willow said slightly peeved, as she crossed her arms.  
"Willow also told us about your ring." Giles spoke up from a mountain of books he was flipping through.  
"My… Ring?" Xander asked with a confused look on his face.  
"The ring that you constantly wear now a days. The one that I translated for you." Willow said trying to jog his memories.  
At Xander's still confused face Buffy grabbed his right hand, and showed him the finger, with the old iron ring on it.  
Xander stared at it as if it had grown a mouth and was currently eating his finger.  
"I… Forgot… Completely about… It…" Xander said slowly, as he paled.  
"We think that ring is the reason that you're acting strange," Giles began, "if you take it off you may be able to revert to normal."  
"Easy enough." Buffy grabbed Xander's finger, and began yanking on the ring, trying to pull it off. Trying. You see the ring wouldn't budge, even with the full strength of a slayer behind it.  
After the first fifteen yanks, Xander began to tell Buffy to stop or she'd rip his finger off. Only after Giles pulled Buffy away and told her she wasn't going to get it off, did she stop.  
Meanwhile Xander was nursing his heavily bruised, and strangely unbroken finger.

After many attempts, and a lot of tugging, the gang gave up and decided to go home. The sun was going down and they each wanted to be in their respective houses by nightfall.  
When Xander finally reached his doorstep, the sun was showing its last light, and while any other time Xander would admire the sun, right now was an awful time. You see Anthony Harris usually forgot to lock the door, but his wife always did, and tonight was no exception. The reason Xander's more caring parent didn't wait till he was home, was mostly because Willow said that he was staying at her house for dinner, so as not to arouse suspicion from his not coming home at curfew. The plan also involved them to be awake, which you can guess the too.  
Xander not wanting to be outside at night, decided to go to Willow's house, they had a doorbell and were the closest in the Scooby gang.  
Xander walked to his destination as quick as his legs could carry him, almost running. He was halfway there when it happened.  
He was taking a shortcut through an ally, and now that he remembers it was a dumb move, when two hulking biker guy stepped in front of him blocking the exit, he was a vampire. He turned around sprinting to the exit, when he bumped into an equally large, vampire. He back away to the center of the ally, trapped like a rat.  
As the vampires slowly advanced on him, it was during this time when he asked "Where is a slayer when you need one?"  
He was prepared for getting torn apart, but he wasn't prepared for a voice to speak in his head.  
'Why would you want a slayer, when you have me?' A cocky northern England accent asked in his head.  
The rest was like a movie. He wasn't in control but someone else was, when he tried to move he didn't, when he tried to talk, he wouldn't, when he tried to not pick a vampire up by its throat then tear out its heart, he ended up doing it. Xander felt his grip crushing the monster's throat, feeling its pulse slowly umping under his palm. He felt his hand sink into its chest breaking through flesh and bone, before wrapping around a beating fleshy thing, and yanking it out. The slight tension of the veins easily breaking. He felt the blood leaking out of the organ, dribbling down his hand, and the blood of its chest cavity blasting onto his face, not even fazing whoever was in control of himself.  
Claude finished by crushing the beast's throat till it was as big as its spine. As the monster combusted, Claude turned to the vampire's friend.  
"What the-" The vampire didn't finish his sentence. Of your course you wouldn't either if your head was torn off also.  
Now Xander was scared, not only of himself but of what was inside of him. The thing moved his body to the leftovers of the vampire's shirt and used that to clean himself off. After he was done the possessor, spoke in a northern English accent; "Hello Xander, my name is Claude in case you're wondering. If you want the ring off just ask it, I'm sure it will oblige. Now I'm going to sleep, wake me if you're in trouble. Don't get in trouble. Get into your lady friend's house as soon as you can. I will answer any questions when we are back home. Goodnight Xander."  
Xander's most intelligent reply was; "Huh." Then he realised he was in control.  
He ran the rest of the way to Willow's. He didn't want to wake Claude.

AN: Hope you enjoyed the chapter more will be here soon.


	4. Chapter The not really a chapter

I am sorry to those who actually enjoyed this story, and before you rage, the reason I stopped is because I am going through some personal things, this story is not helping, and after editing all the chapters and writing 3 new ones I lost all my work. So what I'm trying to say is that this story is up for adoption. If you want it PM me and I will give you all the secrets that where supposed to be in later chapters. And don't be surprised if I start work on a new fan fiction, I just realized this story has been over used, and I use creativity so having to refer to the script every five seconds kinda sucked. Plus let's be honest... how many Buffy fanfics have burried this one.

I am sorry if your sad but remeber this is up for ADOPTION, All I want is that you don't put claim to Claude. Please adopt this guy needs a home, and really I made him on a whim, I hope there is someone who will treat this story better.

Thank you for being awesome...


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